MISSIONARIES OF ST.

FRANCIS DE SALES
NAGPUR PROVINCE
MSFS PROVINCIALATE
23, 24 Residency Road, Sadar
Nagpur 440001 INDIA
Ph: 91-712-2527805. Mobile: 09823567585
(off)provincialnagpurmsfs@gmail.com;(personal)jacobkmsfs@gmail.com
(off)provincialbursarnagpur@gmail.com; wilsonmsfs@gmail.com
(Off)Secretaryprovincialnagpur@gmail.com; arunpmsfs@gmail.com
JK – 54 CIRCULAR TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE PROVINCE 01.09.2016

My Dear Confreres
Greetings of Peace and Joy of Christ to you from Nagpur!
Fr. Sayu Cheruvil passes away (11.03.1964 - 31.08.2016)
Rev. Fr. Sayu Cheruvil MSFS aged 52 passed away on
31st August 2016 at 06.40pm at Midas Multispecialty
Hospital, Nagpur. Fr. Sayu has been physically strong
and sports person, a trained physical education
instructor, and one of the known basketball players
during student days in Fransalian Seminary, Pune.
After ordination, he was fully engaged in the apostolate
of education until the last day. He had been under
minor treatment for liver related ailments from 2007. In
2012 after he was appointed in Badnera, number of
times he was admitted on minor health problems. In
2014, it was diagnosed that he suffered from liver
cirrhosis and advised rest and medication. Ever Since
this disease contracted him, he became physically weak
and his immune system collapsed. He had to be
admitted to Hospital on reasons of fever cold etc. The
disease caused internal bleeding often. In 2016 May,
after the Education Forum Meeting at Delhi, he was
almost fully hospitalized. Daya Sagar Hospital run by
FCC Sisters in Amravati became his second home.
Asci-pies occurred due to malfunctioning of the liver i.e. stomach getting filled up with water. It was
being removed periodically which was a very painful process. His intake of food was minimum and
needed help to move around. For some time Homeo-medicine was tried but did not help. His Younger
Brother, Sunil Cheruvil came from Australia and stayed with him for about ten days and at the advice of
certain people he was taken to an Ayurvedic Doctor in Dongaon Maharashtra near to Jalna. There were
signs of recovery for few days. His brother Sunil returned to Australia with hope of getting his brother
back to life who also made a request to leave Fr. Sayu to his care for rest and medication for one year after
he is discharged from Dongaon. However new complications arose in the Ayurvedic Hospital. Hepatitis
developed with kidney failure which the Ayurvedic Doctor could not address. He was rushed to Nagpur

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Midas Hospital where the Doctors tried to revive him. Internal bleeding could not be stopped. His blood
pressure was very low and could not administer Dialysis. At 06.40 pm on 31 st August 2016, his heart
could not support him any longer and Fr. Sayu went to his eternal and heavenly abode.
Fr. Sayu Cheruvil was born to Scaria and Achamma on 11.03.1964 at Punalur. He was baptized on
19.03.1964 and confirmed on 18.11.1973 at St. Thomas Church, Kurichithanam. He was eldest among
three brothers. His mother is living in Kerala but not keeping good health. He did his Elementary
Education at Govt. Primary School, and Secondary Education at Kurichithanam. He entered the Minor
Seminary at Bastora, Goa, in 1981. He did his philosophy in the year 1983-1985 and theology in 1987-
1990 at Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune. He did his novitiate from 14 th June 1982 to 14th June 1983 at
Belgaum and made his first profession on 14th June 1983. He did two years of regency at St. John's High
School, Nagpur, from 1985-1987. He made his perpetual profession on 31 st May 1988 at Pune. He was
ordained a priest on 05th May 1991 at Kurichithanam.
He worked as Boarding Director and Disciplinarian at St. Mary’s School, Jalna from 1991 - 1996, Vice
Principal of St. Francis de Sales School, Delhi from 1996 - 1999, Vice of Principal of Gyan Mata Vidya
Vihar School, Nanded from 1999 – 2001, Principal of St. Mary’s School, Jalna from 2001 – 2005, Vice
Principal of Gyan Mata Vidy Vihar School, Nanded from 2005 – 2007, Principal of Gyan Mata Vidhya
Vihar School, Nanded from 2007 – 2012, and Principal of St. Francis de Sales School, Badnera from 2012
- 2016.
In Fr. Sayu Cheruvil, we have lost a confrere who is quite dynamic in the Administration of Institutions.
He worked in the prominent schools of the Province. He was a quality specialist in all areas of life and
ministry. He valued durability more than the high cost of a product. He always believed that the make of
the institutions and offices should commensurate with the overall quality and repute of the same. His
abilities to win over loyalties of staff, co-workers and friends are tremendous. One of the Peons Mr. Philip
from Badnera is most grief stricken person at the sad demise of Fr. Sayu who accompanied Fr. Sayu in his
moments of sufferings last four years. Fr. Sayu goes out of his ways to help others and very specially to
share valuables. He never cared to accumulate things but to use them thoroughly and finish them as
tomorrow will take care of itself. During his younger days, he has shown his sense of generosity by
sharing his belongings to junior seminarians. Fr. Sayu was very passionate about his work with planned
and conclusive mind. He has a vision for structures and functioning of offices. Though he was
hospitalised, often during his tenure as Principal in Badnera, every aspect of the school administration was
being monitored by him. He is a strict disciplinarian and not a compromising person when it comes to
principles of moral conduct, punctuality and devotion to duty for staff and students. He always emulated
the good academic standards and practices from other good schools. Fr. Agnelo Fernandes writes the
following in his condolence Message. “The news of the death of Fr. Sayu is indeed heart-rending. Having
known him over a long period of time, I always sensed in him as a person who wanted to do much as early
as possible. His good deeds and fraternal affection will remain with us as precious memories of working
together for the Lord and in His Mission.”
Today we bid farewell to Fr. Sayu, a middle-aged confrere who could have lived another twenty-five
years or more which bring to light the hard reality of the shortness of life that can happen to any one of us.
Let his life and death be a lesson to the living. Fr. Sayu has given his share of work to the Congregation to
be carried forward. Let us imbibe his spirit of fraternal affection, care and generosity as we commend his
soul to our Creator God.

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On behalf of the Province I express my heartfelt gratitude to Badnera Community, Frs. Marcus Ruptake
and Rijo Mechery who took the trouble to shift Fr. Sayu for treatment from place to place. I thank
Franciscan Clarist Sisters of Amravati who runs Daya Sagar Hospital where Fr. Sayu was undergoing
treatment for last four years. Our special gratitude goes to doctors, nurses and staff of the hospital. I
express my thanks to the family members of Fr. Sayu who were regularly in touch with him all these days.
I remember his late father and mother who is ailing and incapacitated to travel. May the good Lord be
their solace and refuge. I thank both the younger brothers of Fr. Sayu. One of them will arrive from
Australia for funeral and the other one stayed with him and nursed him for ten days in the hospital before
his death. May they all experience the love God to ease the pain of separation from this world. Finally, I
thank all the Fathers, Sisters, MSFS confreres, members of the Provincial House and friends of Fr. Sayu,
for their prayers and words of condolences. May the Good Lord grant him eternal rest in his heavenly
abode.

Yours Sincerely in Christ

Jacob Karamakuzhyil, MSFS

Provincial Superior